American Red Cross opens renovated operations center in Savannah

The new facility consolidates disaster response, blood services and the Southeast Georgia chapter office into a single hub.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 9:07am

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An abstract, out-of-focus photograph of a building's exterior, with the facade and entrance blurred into warm, glowing pools of light and color, conceptually representing the American Red Cross's expanded operations in Savannah.The newly renovated American Red Cross facility in Savannah will enhance the organization's disaster response and community services across Southeast Georgia.Savannah Today

The American Red Cross has opened its newly renovated Southeast Georgia Operations Center in Savannah, bringing multiple services together under one roof to improve efficiency, collaboration and emergency response across the region. The remodeled facility at 2500 E. President St. consolidates disaster response, blood services and the Southeast Georgia chapter office into a single operations hub.

Why it matters

The new consolidated facility is expected to help the Red Cross respond more quickly to emergencies and disasters in the region, which frequently involve house fires. Combining departments under one roof will also make it easier for volunteers and staff to engage with multiple parts of the Red Cross mission.

The details

The previous Red Cross operations in Savannah were split between a warehouse and a leased office, so bringing those teams together was a solution to several challenges. The new facility now houses biomedical services operations along with humanitarian services, disaster response teams and chapter leadership. The center's location near the Truman Parkway is expected to help volunteers and responders deploy more quickly when emergencies occur.

  • The American Red Cross opened its newly renovated Southeast Georgia Operations Center on Friday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Alicia Doherty

CEO of the American Red Cross of Georgia.

Maria Center

Executive director of the Red Cross' Southeast Georgia chapter.

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What they’re saying

“I think it just makes sense from a physical and a financial responsibility. As a nonprofit, we want to make sure we're using our funds in the most efficient and effective way possible.”

— Alicia Doherty, CEO of the American Red Cross of Georgia

“Just being all together, it really will enhance our teamwork and our understanding of what other people — what all of us do. It will just help us serve our communities a lot better.”

— Maria Center, Executive director of the Red Cross' Southeast Georgia chapter

What’s next

The new facility is expected to help the Red Cross respond more quickly to emergencies and disasters in the Southeast Georgia region, which frequently involve house fires.

The takeaway

The consolidated Red Cross operations center in Savannah will improve efficiency, collaboration and emergency response across the region by bringing multiple services under one roof. This move aligns with the organization's goal of directing more resources toward mission delivery rather than facility costs.